Marseille soap is an essential staple for eco-friendly cleaning. It is a very effective, multipurpose option. It is very economical because a single block of soap can solve a multitude of household cleaning and even personal hygiene needs.

Today we want to talk to you about the benefits of this soap, what makes it so special, and how to make the most of it by showing you all the uses you can give it.

This soap originated in the late Middle Ages and became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, becoming one of the main exports of Marseille, in the French region.

Nowadays, almost anything can be called Marseille soap, but I am referring to the original recipe, which has a specific composition and is artisanally crafted.

WHAT IS THE COMPOSITION OF MARSEILLE SOAP?

Marseille soap has only 4 ingredients, which are also of natural origin:

• Water
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Caustic soda

You can find soaps made with other oils, such as rapeseed, flax, or sesame. The one we have at Alma Eko contains only olive oil and has 72% fatty acids, just as it is considered to have according to the original recipe.

Other traditional soaps have a very similar composition, such as Castile or Aleppo soap (for body use). In the latter case, it contains laurel, and neither of them has salt among its ingredients. It is precisely this element that makes Marseille soap especially effective for cleaning tasks.

IN WHAT FORMATS CAN YOU FIND MARSEILLE SOAP?

The traditional soap, made artisanally, is presented in blocks of about 400 grams. At Alma Eko you can find it like this and also in 100-gram blocks.

In addition, we have the flake presentation, which is the same soap processed to have a format that is very useful for certain purposes and for facilitating the creation of your own liquid or powdered cleaning products.

Let's look, then, at the different ways it can be used and prepared.

HOW TO USE MARSEILLE SOAP

Let's start with the uses of Marseille soap that may be less known, which are those related to personal hygiene.

Hand and body soap

You can cut the Marseille soap blocks into smaller pieces and put them to different uses. You can place one of those pieces in your bathroom soap dish and use it as hand soap. It also serves as a body soap in the shower. Given its high olive oil content, it is hydrating and nourishing. Furthermore, it is considered a pH-neutral soap.

Shampoo and hair mask

It can also be used as shampoo for hair. Keep in mind that it is a very basic soap, so it may be suitable for normal hair. Also oily hair, since the salt and olive oil help regulate sebum production. However, if like me you have dry hair, I don't think it's the best option for us. At least not as a regular shampoo.

However, this soap is known for use as a hair mask for occasional use, and this really is for everyone, since it is mixed with other components that add more hydration.

It involves mixing a couple of tablespoons of Marseille soap, diluted in a little water, with some vegetable oil, such as almond, olive, coconut, or castor oil… and distributing it through the hair, from mid-lengths to ends. Leave on for at least 30 minutes and rinse with plenty of water.

I'll leave you the link so you can see other natural vegetable oils that you could also use.

Oral hygiene

We haven't tried this use, but it is known to have been quite widespread. The truth is that olive oil and salt are ingredients that help heal and maintain healthy gums. We think there are more suitable oral hygiene options because they are specially designed for that, but Marseille soap can be an occasional or even emergency solution.

Pets

It can also serve as shampoo for your dog. We assure you that the result is soft and shiny hair.

Using Marseille soap for cleaning

Let's now move on to the most widespread use of Marseille soap, which is cleaning. The possibilities are endless. We are going to tell you about a few here, but I am sure there are others that I don't know, so if you know any, feel free to leave them as comments on this blog.

Marseille soap for washing clothes

It is its most common use and the reason it became popular. It is a powerful cleaner for stains on clothing. Starting with pre-washing, since it can be used to pretreat stains by rubbing the bar on the clothing, as you can see in this video.

In the washing machine you can use it in three different ways:

In flakes: putting a couple of tablespoons in the dispenser drawer of the washing machine. Some people also put it directly in the drum.

Liquid: you can make your own soap for the washing machine by mixing 800 ml of hot water with 50 grams of Marseille soap and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Once it has cooled, add 15-20 drops of the essential oil you like (or washing perfume) and a teaspoon of guar gum, which will give it a gel texture. Whisk the mixture and let it sit until it gels. You can see the final result in this video.

Powdered: you can also create it yourself. You need 400 grams of Marseille soap (powdered), 500 grams of baking soda, and 500 grams of sodium percarbonate. If you want, you can include about 40-50 drops of lemon essential oil or another one you like. Mix everything well and that's it. For me, it's the option I like the most.

Washing dishes

What a discovery this was for me! It is a soap with great degreasing power, so it works great for washing dishes.

Again, you can use it in different ways:

In flakes: if you use a dishwasher, you can put a tablespoon of Marseille soap flakes in the dishwasher. You can also add a teaspoon of baking soda and citric acid to achieve greater degreasing power and a shine effect.

Liquid: the same recipe for the liquid washing machine soap can be used for washing dishes.

Solid: my preferred option. The same Marseille soap block, without doing anything to it, serves to hand wash your dishes. You just have to rub your sponge or brush on the bar of soap, so that it impregnates well, and scrub as normal. It is very effective and long-lasting.

Cleaning surfaces

You can clean all kinds of surfaces with Marseille soap. Countertops, furniture, sink, washbasin, bathtub, shower, floors… You can clean everything with this soap. As we have seen with dishes, you can rub the sponge on the soap bar and then clean any surface. For the floor, you can include a couple of tablespoons in the mop bucket. But my favorite option, without a doubt, is this multi-purpose cleaner recipe. You only need:

• 1 teaspoon of baking soda,
• 3 teaspoons of Marseille soap,
• 400 ml of hot water
• 5-15 drops of lemon essential oil.

Mix everything in a spray bottle and you have it ready to use on any surface. You can see the step-by-step recipe in this video.

These are all the uses for Marseille soap that we know of and give it. Do you think we missed any? Do you use it for something different?

If you want to see more natural and sustainable products, like this one for your home cleaning, visit Eco-friendly home: sustainable products for a healthy home | Alma Eko – Alma Eko

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